Sgouring device



P 1941. J. R. CROCKFORD 2,257,456

SCOURING DEVICE Filed July 5, 1940 INVENTOR Patented Sept. 30, 1941 SGOURIN G DEVICE Joseph R. -Crokford, Chicago, Ill., 'assignor to Efficiency Specialties',FOmaha, Nebr., a corporation of Nebraska Application July 5, 1940,Serial'No.348,979

*zolaims. (01. 15-209) This invention relates to scouring devices, and

particularly those ofthecharactcr employed for cleansing and securing pots, pans and other household implements, although the device is also Capable of many other uses.

One'oflthe objects of the invention is to pro- :-vide.an-allmetal scouring device of simple and effective construction, the-device including the scouring or abrasive material formingsa part of it, :being preferably composed -of non-corrosive metal so that it iscapableof long life and will not :stain :or a discolor the articles being cleansed. -A furrther object of the invention is to provide a :metallholder for-a mass-of scouring material and to 'provide a-novel means of attaching or fastening the scouring material securely-to said holder so that it cannot be dislodged ltherefrom :during normal-scouring operations, such attach- .ing ,means being preferably so-called surface orrspot-welding.

helical or coiled metallic ribbon or strands .to

, ,20 flnother-object-of the-invention is to ,provide at leastone face of ametallic plate-forminga manipulating handle for the device.

More particularly, the invention contemplates the provision of a sheet metal plate of non-cor- ,rosive metal, archedor curved to fitthe fingers,

and having secured to its -underor bottom face adjacent one'endya mass of the tangled helical oricoiled elastic ribbon orstrand, portions of the mass extending beyond. and protecting the edges oflth fplate.

: scouring'devicesof the-character-of thathere- 2 in idescribed may be classified in two general groups, namely, those in which awad, pad or mass-of fibrous metallic wool or strands is held in direct contact with the hand of the user and ,1" :t'erial) and messy, thus requiring it to be disapplied tothe surface of the-article'to be scoured, and "those in which "the scouring :material, also of metalliowool, strands, shavings'orcurlsare ihelddn a wad or mass and such wador mass is tastened, detachably orlp'ermanently in some sort :0f alholdenwhich-is held in the hand during the scouring operation.

One .of the objections to securing: devices com- ;prisedin the first group is that-the fingersof the user contact directly withthe scouringmaterial, arid since such material, and particularly after some use, often breaks up into fine particles, there is the likelihood that 'such particles roan penetrate the skinpf the fingers and cause inmotion. .Moreovensince the scouring :material 55 is held in the hand, there is a necessity for the use of more scouring material than is actually necessary since theentire pad is notactually consumed but a considerable portion of thepad must be discarded as soon as the padbecomes reduced in sizeafter use so thatit cannot be conveniently .held and applied to the article or surface to be scoured.

An objection encountered in .thescouring devices injthe second group is thatthe holders in whichthe'wads or pads of scouring mater'i'alhave been disposed do not alwaysfirmly hold the scouring material and are so shaped that they canno-t'b properly heldwith a ,naturalgrip to enable a maximum of pressure to 'be-applied by the fingers with a minimum of effort on 'the part of the user. t,

The present invention therefore contemplates the provision of a scouring device ini which a minimum of amount or scouring material is used; Lin which a simple yet highly effective method cramming the scouring material to a holder or handle is utilized,,and in which a shaped handle of novel contour, fitting thelfingers and. afiording protection for .the finger nails -is provided .by which the hand holds the handle in a natural and'normal pressure-applying position whereby a great amount of scouring work canbe performed with aminimum of effort and without tiringnjthe user of ,the device. i -Another.deficiency often met in present-day scouringv devicesof the kind in which the scouring material isheld in a han'dle,lis the inability ofthe device to provide adequate drainage. Ac,- lcordingly, in many .of the knownscouring devices, grease, discolored water, food particles and thelilre accumulate in the massrof scouring material which soon becomes odorous, rusty ,(if ordinary steel wool is employed as the scouring macar'cled afterarelativelyshort/time. The presentflinvention contemplates the provision of a scouring device which can be hung up or suspendedon ahook-or nail to thereby greatly facilitate .drainage from the scouring material, and which'byreason of the-relativelysmall amountof scouring material employed and its relationship to the handl portion to which it is preferably permanently attached,-will -not ,readilyharbor =or=collect food particles, dirty water,- grease and scrapings and will accordingly remain clean and sanitary-for its entire useful life.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a par hereof, Fig. 1 is a plan viewcf a scouring device constructed in accordance with .the :invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing how the device is held when in use; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 4 is a view of the underside of the device; Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of several of the coiled metallic strands used as the scouring material; Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified structure; and'Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the improved scouring device primarily consists of two main elements, namely, a body portion or handle I and a mass of scour ing material 2 attached thereto.

The body portion or handle is preferably made of sheet metal of a non-corrosive nature to thereby remain unaffected by the action of water, soaps, grease and acids. For the purpose, stain less steel, Monel metal or some other material is used. If a corrosive metal is employed, it can, if desired, be coated or plated with corrosion-resisting substance. I

The body portion or handle I is dished in the form shown to thereby present a concave upper face 3 and a convex lower face or bottom 4. The forward or wider end of the handle is curved or rounded as indicated at 5, said curved or rounded end being upturned to thereby provide a finger-protecting flange 6 surrounding the finger depression 1 in which the fingers rest during the scouring operation, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. At a substantially central point, remote from the forward end 5 of the handle, is formed an upwardly and longitudinally extending hump or rib'8 serving to not only add stiffness and rigidity to the handle but to provide on'the under side of the handle, a recess 9 for the reception of the thumb of the user.

The formation of the body portion or handle is such that the fingers of the users hand naturally fall into the proper position when grasping the handle. That is to say, four fingers of the hand conveniently fit into the depression I and the finger nails thereon are protected by the flange 6, while the thumb naturally seeks and tion is greatly facilitated and a more thorough v scouring job with less effort is the result.

The scouring material, indicated at 2, preferably but not necessarily, consists of a tangled mass of fibrous material such as a mass of resilient helical coils of metallic ribbon, tape or strands such as shown at I0 in Fig. 5, the method of manufacture of such material providing relatively sharp cutting edges on the ribbon or tape so that it is highly efiicient as a scouring means. So-called metallic wool, particularly when composed of non-corrosive metals such as stainless steel, Monel metal or the like, might also be used as scouring material. The helical coils ID of springy metallic ribbon or tape, tend to interlock or intermingle in a desirable manner to hold them together in a mass.

For attaching the scouring material to the body portion'or handle, I utilize spot-welding or so-called surface welding at spaced points which firmly attaches the mass of metallic, fibres to the under face or bottom 4 of the handle adjacent the forward end of the same and below the finger depression 1, as clearly shown. The welds, indicated at I I, so securely affix the scouring material to the face of the plate that the scouring material can be frictionally and forcibly applied to the surface of the article to be scoured with a great deal of pressure without the strands or fibres becoming detached from the handle. Moreover, the nature of the material is such that the coils of material interlock or tangle and mass together and overlie the spaced points of weld so that the means of securement of the mass of scouring material to the body portion or handle is substantially invisible and is not apparent except upon very close examination.

The mass of scouring material is so disposed on the body portionor handle that it extends beyond the edges of the same. The normal curling tendency of the strands or fibres of such material causes the projecting portion of the scouring material to curl over the edges of the handle as indicated at I2 in Figs. 3 and '7 and thus cover and protect these edges from contact with the article being scoured.

To permit the device to be hung up and facilitate the drainage of water therefrom a hole [3 is formed in the handle at the end of the same remote from the scouring material. When the device is suspended on a hook or nail, the accumulated water will drain out of the scouring material together with food particles and other accumulations. Y

, While I have shown the scouring material to be attached to a sheet metal handle or body by means of spaced spot welds, other means of attaching the same may be utilized. For example, in Figs. 6 and 7 is shown a plurality of spaced tongues l4 stamped out of the body portion or handle, these tongues being bent over and around parts of the scouring material to thus afiix it to the handle. It might also be possible to attach the scouring material to the handle, by staples, wire stitching, rivets or other means, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

While the handle or body portion of the device is shown in a decidedly convenient form to facilitate the scouring operation, various changes in shape may be made to suit conditions. For example, in Figs. 3 and '7 is shown the rear edge of the handle upturned as indicated at [5 to thereby provide a scraper blade to be used'in cooperation with the scouring material and loosen thick or hardened accumulations of grease or other materials on the surface to be scoured, prior to the application of the scouring material to the surface.

The improved scouring device has herein been described as being adapted for the scouring of pots, pans and other kitchen utensils, although it will be understood that the device is not limited to such use, since it will be found of value wherever a scouring, scraping or cleansing action'is required. It is so shaped that it can be held naturally in the hand; maximum pressure can be applied to the surface being scoured without readily tiring the fingers; drainage of the scouring'material is easily had, since it is in a relatively thin layer, rather than in a thick mass or pad as is the case with other scouring devices, andsince the device is wholly composed of noncorrosive materials, it will not rust or become discolored in use and thereby have a long, useful life.

What I claim is:

1. A scouring device comprising, a single thickness metal plate forming a handle member, said plate having a widerounded forward portion provided with a concave upper face and convex under surface, a mass of metallic fibres fused to the convex under surface of the plate at the forward portion of the same, portions of said mass normally curling upward and over the edge of said forward portion to thereby protect the same, the side edges of the plate converging from said rounded forward portion of the plate to the rear end of the plate, the part of said plate located between said converging edges being dished to produce a convex upper surface and concave under surface, said last-mentioned surfaces forming finger-engaging portions on the plate rearwardly of the mass of metallic fibres.

said plate being reversely arched from the inner end of said convex surface to the rear edge of the plate, whereby the under surface of the plate has both convex and concave merging surfaces,

a mass of metallic fibres spot welded over the convex under surface of the plate, said fibres terminating substantially at the forward end of the concaveunder surface, the portion of the plate free of fibres constituting a finger-engaging portion on the plate located rearwardly of the mass of metallic fibres, said finger-engaging portion including a convexly curved surface on its upper face.

, JOSEPH R. CROCKFORD. 

